Raccoons are normally not aggressive. While females with babies will attic you if you get too close most of the time and especially if the babies are grown they tend to ignore you. Some raccoons may smell food in your home which may attract them to your back door, if this happens ignore it and close the blinds. Even stifling the smell with a door sweep or a towel will get it to leave. If you run into a raccoon that seems completely out of its mind then you are right, it is. If it’s squeaking or babbling, if it’s walking around in circles or nearly comatose then you may be amid a rabid raccoon. The situation is not too desperate, back up slowly until you feel safe, turn and walk away. Running may cause it to become aggressive treat it like you never saw it and return the way you came. If it tries to come towards you back up faster but be careful not to fall. Do not touch it or pet it or give it food. This raccoon is not hungry or thirsty, it has forgotten what food is and is afraid of water. This is called hydrophobia and is one of the first symptoms of rabies to show up. If you see your child acting strange or afraid of water take them to the hospital right away.
Now having non-rabbit raccoons on our property is not as much of a danger but is still a big issue. They are not so much here for you as your garbage cans and attic. During baby season females will come to your property and inspect it for access to food and water. If the access is good they may stay and make a den. Their feces is also very dangerous and can cause a parasitic infection called roundworms which is incurable. They can burrow in the ground and climb very, very high. They can access a fifth or sixth-floor attic or even a tenth-floor balcony. They can rip roof vents clean off your roof and can break through nearly any part of your roof with their powerful teeth and semi opposable paws. Raccoons have a thumb-like appendage at the side of their hand instead of at the back like with most animals. They can manipulate objects as humans do, or at least as a small child would. This also means they are not that smart and getting them out of your attic is easier than you would think. A simple device called a one-way door is built with a steel frame with rings on the outside so it can be tied to steel mesh that is waterproof and galvanized. You attach it using bolts with wide washers over the entryway the animal used. Make sure it’s sealed all the way around. The raccoon can pass through the clear plexiglass spring locking door but cannot get back through as a lip of steel around the back of the device stops the door from opening the other way. This is effective and humane.